Saturday, November 27, 2010

My Daughter is at War with Sleep

And Kylie is winning.  Mornings start out wonderfully.  She wakes up about 7 and gives me about 20 minutes of lounging in my bed half awake before she actually wants up.  I then go over to her crib where she greets me with a huge toothless grin.  I scoop her up into my arms and she buries her face into the side of my neck, and then promptly pulls away and smiles at me again.  I put her down on her changing table and she starts kicking her little legs happily and tells me about her night.  I change her diaper and she continues to talk and blow raspberries at me, happy as a clam.  I scoop her up again and we have time to put the chihuahuas out for their morning constitutionals, get me a drink of OJ, and then give grandma and grandpa huge, beaming smiles. 

We then go back to our room and she gets to eat as I check my favorite blogs on my phone.  Kylie will occasionally pull away from the boob and smile up at me and then tuck back in to her breakfast.  Like she's not really hungry, but if mommy wants her to eat, she will.  And she will be incredibly cute while doing so.  Then comes the time in the morning where I can get the most stuff done because Kylie will behave if she is not on my person.  I can set her in her swing with one of her toys and she will talk and kick and be merry basically.  I'll blog, work on schoolwork, or work on making headbands for my new Etsy business (which I will soon make a post about, squeee!).  Though I do admit, some mornings I will just stay in bed and cuddle with her and the chihuahuas, enjoying the quiet moments with her.

The morning never lasts though.  Usually after her third feeding of the day, she starts to get tired and I'll put her down for her first nap.  For this one she gets a little fussy, but not too bad.  She will usually sleep for about 30-40 minutes, so this is when I'll take a shower, get dressed, and put on some make up if I feel really froggy.  She wakes up and then we'll play some and eat some and so forth.  Then comes the afternoon nap, which is a much crankier nap.  It'll take her about 15-20 minutes of fussing before she will actually sleep.  Sometimes there is crying involved with this one. 

And then comes nighttime.  The smiles start becoming frowns and giggles start turning into fussing and crying.  I'll usually try to take her for a walk outside at dusk because no matter what, she does not cry outside and I'll get about 20 minutes of morning Kylie again.  I'll make dinner and usually have her in the Moby Wrap, so I can dance and sing to keep her occupied.  And I'll explain how to make food in hopes that she will turn out to be a better cook than me.  Then Rex and I will eat dinner and watch some tv as I feed Kylie.  I seriously think that I have only eaten one dinner without breastfeeding during it since she was born.  Then comes the really enjoyable part of the night.  She starts getting super cranky and fussy.  But it's only 6 or so, so I can't put her to bed unless I want to wake up a 3.  She tends to cluster feed right before bedtime, or topping off her tanks as I like to call it.  Every other night she has a bath, which she absolutely loves, especially since she has learned that splashing water in mama's face is the most fun in the world.  Then she gets her little baby massage as I put her lotion on, and then gets her last feeding of the night.  By the end of the feeding she is pretty drowsy, so I burp her and then we read Good Night Moon together. 

Then comes the battle with sleep.  I'll set her in her crib and turn on her little Baby Einstein ocean sounds thing-a-ma-bob with the little moving fishies and kiss her good night.  It takes her about 15 seconds to realize what's going on and then the screaming commences.  Yeah, she goes straight for the jugular.  Just screws up her face and lets 'er rip.  And stomps one foot, which makes this thumping sound on the mattress.  And will cry so hard she's gasping for air between each wail.  And this is no matter where she is.  In the crib or in our arms when we just can't take it anymore.  Every once in a while she'll stop, but then remember she doesn't want to go to bed and starts all over again.  Last night she did this for an hour. 

I know she's about old enough that we can just let her cry it out and soothe herself, but we just can't quite bring ourselves to do it.  And I make sure to keep her routine the same too like everyone says but its just not cutting it right now.  Luckily once she's out she is out.  That I am super thankful for.  So please God have mercy on me at bedtime.

So don't let these big ol' blue eyes fool you.  Remember Kylie 1 Sleep 0.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Hi, We're Rex and Brooke

I saw this questionnaire and had to fill it out.  Call me a sucker.

1. What are your middle names?
My middle name is Brooke and Rex's middle name is Judson.
2. How long have you been together?
On September 22 it has been FIVE years, wow.
3. How long did you know each other before you started dating?
A couple of months.  I met him the summer after I graduated high school.  Some of our mutual friends introduced us and...
4. Who asked who out?
He asked me out.  And he was so frigging cute when he did it too.  He was all nervous and was telling me how he thought I was pretty and fun to talk to and did I want to go out with him?
5. How old are each of you?
I am 23 and he is just about to turn 25.
6. Did you go to the same school?
Yes, I never talked to him while we were in school, but I watched him play football every Friday night.  I always knew I was going to date a football player...
7. Are you from the same home town?
Yes siree.  It's funny that we didn't meet each other sooner since our home town is so small and both of us have lived here our whole lives.  Though he was quite the wild child and I was a book worm.
8. Who is the smartest?
I don't really know.  I guess I would be more book smart and he is more street smart.  I am known for my lack of common sense sometimes so he keeps me in line :)
9. Who majored in what?
Right now I'm majoring in Medical Billing, and eventually would like to either become a RN or a teacher.  He is a diesel mechanic and was taught by his grandpa, uncles, and himself. 
10. Who is the most sensitive?
I am by far.  Especially since I had Kylie.  You know that Pampers commercial that plays "Silent Night" and shows sleeping babies?  Makes me tear up every time.  But Rex totally surprises me sometimes,  he just likes to hide behind his tough guy exterior.
11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
So far it's been San Antonio, Texas to visit family.  But we really want to go to Cozumel, Mexico for one our anniversaries.
12. Who has the worst temper?
Rex does.  I'm a more go with the flow time of person, and Rex makes sure I don't get walked over all the time.  He is completely open and honest with how he feels about things.  You always know where you stand with him.  His bosses call him a "terrorist" because he lets them know when he doesn't think somethings fair or right.
13. How many children do you want?
Well, definitely one!!! We are undecided.  I've always wanted three, but we are just seeing how things play out in our lives.  But it will be a while before we have anymore.
14. Who does the cooking?
It's about 50/50.  I never learned how to cook till I met him, and I am not the best.  He was taught by his grandma and cooks the best Southern comfort food ever!  His cornflake chicken is to die for!  I'm good at baking though.  Four layer dark chocolate cake with orange cream filling and chocolate ganache anyone?
15. Who is more social?
He is.  I'm a hermit.  I could go for days with not talking to anyone and be fine. I find that after being around people a lot for a while is tiring, and I have to keep to myself for a little while to regroup.  Rex is the social butterfly.  He loves to talk and for some reason while we are out and about, old people always talk to him.  Tattoos and all.  It's weird.
16. Who is the neat freak?
It used to be neither of us, but the nesting instinct took hold and never left with me.  Rex is more of the "toss the clothes in the general direction of the hamper kind of guy."  Unless it's the garage or his tool box.  Then he is totally anal about it.
17. Who is the most stubborn?
Both of us.  He might be slightly more.  But I can hold out for a pretty long time.
18. Who wakes up earlier?
Me!  I've always been a morning person and he is a night owl.
19. Where was your first date?
Seeing the monster truck rally at the LA County Fair.  Yes, totally redneck.  That's how we roll.
20. Who has the bigger family?
I think he does, mainly because of remarriages and such.  Both of our families are super spread out though.  California, Texas, Arizona, Oregon, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Nebraska... I even have a lot of family living in Australia and Russia.
21. Do you get flowers often?
Nope.  I think I got them once on our first Valentine's Day together.  He says they are just going to die in a couple days so what's the point.  Oh wait, he did get me a pot of pink tulips once too (because they would stay alive longer).
22.How do you spend the holidays?
Usually with my family and then sometimes we will go to his dad's.
23. Who is more jealous?
Neither of us are really.  We have our moment's, but we're pretty trusting of each other, which is good :)
24. How long did it take to get serious?
Pretty soon.  I think earlier for him than me, it was my first real relationship and I had no clue how to go about things.  After a couple months of dating he told me he loved me.
25. Who eats more?
Him!  Well, he likes big meals and I am more of a grazer. 

26. What do you do for a living?
I'm a SAHM at the moment, on hiatus from a pet store, working on starting my own Etsy store, and a student.  He is a diesel mechanic.
27. Who does the laundry?
Me.  He did it once and put bleach in a load of darks.  Yeah.  And that load of darks including a Juicy Couture sweatshirt that I had received as a gift and can never afford to replace.  It's a sore subject.
28. Who’s better with the computer?

I am usually.
29. Who drives when you’re together?
He usually does because according to him, I drive like an old lady.
30. What is your song?
It's not official, but we danced to "Swing Life Away" by Rise Against at our wedding.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Back in Town...Again

So for the last couple days Kylie and I have been absent from the blogsphere we sometimes call home, but I swear, we had a good reason!  We went to my grandparents' home up north with my parents and my other grandma.  We had a wonderful time.  Kylie got to spend a lot of time with her great grandmas and grandpa.  Luckily I'm breastfeeding her or otherwise I would have never been able to hold her!  We went to a little mining town, this ridiculously good bbq joint, and on several hikes.  Oh, and we found this little bakery that had the most delicious lemon meringue pie ever!


At the courthouse in Mariposa that is the oldest courthouse still in use in California.


Kylie and I at a nursery my dad always visits when we are up there.


The Ky Bug just being frigging adorable.


The dogwoods still had fall color on one of our hikes.



And at Red Rock Falls on our Lewis Creek hike.  I cannot say how many times the Moby saved my sanity on this trip.  Ky absolutely loves facing out in it so she can see the world.

Monday, November 8, 2010

My New Love

Is Etsy.  We just discovered each other about 2 months ago.  I can't believe it took me so long to find this site, I feel like I have finally seen the light!  Now I'm a woman possessed!  My hubby just rolled his eyes as he saw me type this.  Here are some of the items on my Christmas list, well, on Kylie's too, that way we get more!!!



This print from Marisol Spoon.  I love the whimsical feel of her art.  I'm going to definitely have to get several prints for Kylie's nursery!  And with prints starting at $18, they are very affordable.


These felt flower clips from Bloomz.  She has them in tons and tons of colors and will also do custom orders.


This camisole from sandmaidensleepwear.  She completely custimizes it for you, so you choose the color and she gets all your measurements as well to make it fit like a glove.  I love this red color, though.  Swoooooon.



The Holy Cow Collar by jenniebgoode.  It is so frigging adorable and one of my little girl chihuahuas would so want to rock this.  I love the pink buckle.  It is a must for my little mutts.


And Mandy from from Harper's Happenings just opened her vintage store Opal today!  Lots of cute stuff!  And super great prices as well.  Now I just need to get paid and it'll all be good.

Happy Monday!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Three Months!!!

It's hard to believe that my darling little Ky Bug is already three months old!!!  I loved her as a newborn, but now her little personality is growing by leaps and bounds now.  She is becoming more and more her own person, and I love watching this transformation.


-Kylie now weighs 10 lbs 3.7 oz, is 23 1/2 inches long, and has a head circumference of 15 1/2 inches.
-She is expanding her vocabulary (if you could call it that) everyday.  She can now string vowels and consonants together i.e. ah-goo, and is learning to blow raspberries.
-Kylie can lift her head 90 degrees while on her belly and will sometimes push up off her arms.  From her belly she can also roll onto her side.
-Is completely out of newborn clothes and fully into 0-3.  I've had to do some shopping for her since most of the clothes we received at her shower were for summer, and fall has fully established itself where we live.
-Is still in size one diapers.  And she is a super heavy wetter at night and soaks through whatever disposable we put on her.  I still only have the FuzziBunz cloth diapers and the legs holes are still too big on her.  Anyone know some good cloth diapers for skinny babies?
-She is sleeping through the night as well.  Thank God.  She will fall asleep usually around 10 pm and wake up between 7:30 and 8 am.  During the day her naps are still very erratic.  Some days she will take two one hour naps, others one big three hour nap, and some she will just take a few little twenty minute cat naps.  Any tips on getting her to nap more consistently anyone?
-Kylie absolutely loves being outside.  She can be screaming her head off and as soon as I walk out the door with her it's instant silence.  And silence never sounded so good, lemme tell you.  She has developed quite the set of lungs. 
-She will actually pay attention to me when I read to her.  She will look at the pictures as I turn the pages, and occasionally look up and smile at me.  And then my heart just melts into a big ole puddle.  We read Goodnight Moon every night before bed.
-Her new thing is to smile with her mouth wide open.  Seriously, as wide as she can get it.  And it's the cutest thing ever.  And she is started to laugh and squeal.  I had never heard a baby squeal before and it is so frigging adorable.



So there you have it.  My daughter. Who is growing up so fast.  Who I love so much sometimes I think my heart will burst.  Who is definitely the bee's knees and then some.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

I Believe...



in raw apple cider.  It is so deliciously lovely.  I wish I could get it year around, instead of just in the fall.



in the power of a good book to make me forget all my worries for a while, and to put me into a better mood.



in pregnancy making me into a neat freak.  Nesting never left me for some reason, Kylie is three months old and I'm still trying to clean all the time.  Which is weird, because I was kinda a slob before.  Rex appreciates this though.



in chihuahuas and their great cuddling skills.  In the morning after Rex leaves for work, I go back to bed with my four little doggies snuggled around me.



And later I will post Kylie's Three Month Post!!!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

I Heart Target

Seriously.  It is my favorite store ever.  Even if it is kinda sacrilegious because Wally World pays our bills.  I don't care.  Wal-Mart does not even come close to the adorable things Target carries.  It does get me in trouble sometimes, especially since they put in a Super Target that's only about 15 minutes away from my house (and a Golden Corral, yum).  But as I age, I am finding more and more satisfaction in bargain shopping, which my wallet thanks me for.  And the hubs too.  Here are some of my finds from this past week...


These gold shoes.  Guess how much I paid for them.  $3.  Oh yeah, I am awesome. Thank you.



Kylie's rainbow pants.  $2.80.  Yay, me!  Rex even likes these pants, and he is usually uninterested in the world of baby fashion.  Score.

Have y'all ever been to BevMo?  I just went with the hubs yesterday and it's amazing.  I'm not much of a drinker myself, I might have a beer or a drink here and there, but that's it.  The store makes me wish I was an alcoholic.  Rows upon rows of every imaginable liquor.  Rums, tequilas, vodkas, 30 year old whiskys, you name it.  I wanted most of the alcohol just for the bottles.  There were bottles dipped in wax, with tooled leather bands, pretty colors, weird shapes (a tiki statue anyone?), and even Georgia moonshine in a mason jar.  We could have made a serious dent in our pocketbook, but we were good and just got a mini bottle of Absinthe (Rex chose it, 138 proof black licorice smelling liquor is not my cup of tea).

Next week Rex is going to get a vacation from the Ky Bug and me.  We are heading up north to my grandparents' house with my parents for a long weekend.  Kylie gets to visit with her great grandparents and I get to eat at one of the best bbq places in Cali.  Their Southwest Brisket sandwich is to die for!!!  Super tender, juicy brisket (which is next to impossible to find on the west coast), garlic mayo, Monterrey jack cheese, and Ortega chiles.  My mouth is watering as I type.  Nom nom nom.

Now I'm off to do some chores before Kylie wakes up from her nap...have a good Wednesday y'all!!!